Lakeshore Leads with New Classroom Champions Pilot Project

Program pairs local students with Olympic & Paralympic athletes   

An award-winning mentorship and education program that pairs students with Olympic and Paralympic athletes is coming to Lakeshore with the launch of a new community-based pilot project. 

The program, open to students ages 8 to 12, will be offered in partnership with Classroom Champions, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering children through the mentorship of world-class athletes. 

Typically delivered through school boards and local classrooms, the Lakeshore pilot project is the organization’s first foray into community-based programming. 

“I am very excited to partner with Lakeshore to expand the impact of Canadian athletes, their mindsets, and social and emotional learning skills to a community-wide pilot project like this,” said co-founder and CEO Steve Mesler. “Classroom Champions programming is predominately implemented at the school level, so to partner to impact an entire community and reach even more kids is a huge step for the development of our youth. I am grateful to Lakeshore for leading this pilot project and working with us to make sure more kids can learn important social and emotional skills from positive role models.” 

“We are thrilled to provide this incredibly unique learning opportunity to local students,” said Frank Jeney, Division Leader – Community Services. “Exposing students to elite athletes, and their incredible stories of determination and resilience, will positively influence participants’ performance, both in the classroom and in the broader community as Lakeshore’s next generation of leaders.” 

“I’m eager to bring my athlete mindset to kids across Canada as a mentor for Classroom Champions. My journey as a national team athlete in two sports has taught me a lot, and I still have so much to learn,” said Erica Voss, a member of Canada’s 2022 Olympic Bobsleigh team. “What I have taken away I’m giving back to kids in my community by being a Classroom Champions mentor. Interacting with high-achieving athletes growing up was a source of guidance and inspiration for me, and I am so excited to now be a role model for the next generation.” 

Students in the 20-week program will participate in weekly classes starting Tuesday, January 10, 2023, at the Atlas Tube Recreation Centre. As part of the pilot project, registration for the program will be offered at no charge to participants. 

To learn more and register for the program, please contact 519-728-2700 ext. 0, email RecInfo@Lakeshore.ca, or visit Lakeshore.ca/ClassroomChamps. 

Background 

• Classroom Champions is a non-profit dedicated to connecting students with world-class athlete mentors. Classroom Champions supports students' social and emotional learning (SEL) and academic achievement, and provides curriculum and mentorship programs to districts, schools, and teachers to encourage children to achieve successful futures. Working with 250+ Olympic, Paralympic, NCAA student-athletes, and professional athletes who volunteer as mentors, Classroom Champions has provided more than $10,000,000 in program and curriculum grants to underserved, rural, and Indigenous communities across the continent. Students participating in Classroom Champions see significant improvements in the classroom, teachers see improved engagement, and athlete mentors learn new skills to prepare for life after sport. Learn more about the organization online.